I contend that one of Square Enix's finest acquisitions in 2009's take-over of Eidos Interactive was the six miniature trained killers of 2009's action-adventure, Mini Ninjas. Soon they will be an animated series, but for now they're an endless runner, and I've missed them so much.

I didn't play the Kinect-powered Mini Ninjas Adventures last year because of that whole Kinect-powered bit (no room to groove in Faheyland), so today's iOS runner is my first heady hit of the tiny blade-dancers in three years, not counting replays of the original. So fond am I of these little bastards that I singled them out from this week's crop of four big-name endless-running mobile games (Temple Run: Oz and two more to be named later) for a little special attention.

Sticking close to the original storyline, Hiro and friends (who appear in the game via transformative power-ups) are tasked with bringing down the Evil Samurai Warlord's army, because his parents were spot-on when they named him Evil Samurai Warlord. The difference is that instead of 3D action-adventuring, these Mini Ninjas run from left to right, slicing fools so hard they revert to the animals they were before being enchanted by the aforementioned ESW.

This is a smooth and sweet endless runner that doesn't shy away from a challenge. Enemies jump and fly and weave about the screen. Obstacles are relentless. Appearances by the rock-smashing Futo or the flute-playing Suzume are welcome not so much for their utility powers, but more because they're effectively an extra life, reverting to Hiro when hit.

There are coins to collect, useful for unlocking costume pieces, one of which is completely age-inappropriate.

And there's even a crafting system, which sees the player collecting ingredients to concoct power-up potions that last the length of a run.

Mini Ninjas is much deeper and fully-imagined than the cheap knockoff I was expecting. It truly does my stabby little friends proud, unlike my video capture software.

Treat them well, Square Enix, and these guys will bring you untold fortune. Betray them, and prepare to meet the most adorable little garrote ever.

Mini Ninjas

Genre: Endless Runner

Developer: Square Enix

Platform: iOS

Price: $.99

Get Mini Ninjas on iTunes

Kotaku

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Square Enix launches ad-supported browser game portal

2012년 8월 29일

Square Enix is launching a new Web-based gaming portal that offers some of the company's back catalog for free. The "CoreOnline" service lets you play Hitman: Blood Money or Mini Ninjas by either watching advertisements between chunks of the games, or paying a fee to bypass them.

The CoreOnline site (via GI.biz) only boasts those two games so far, but promises others on the way like Tomb Raider Underworld and Gyromancer. Save data is also stored on the cloud, so you can pick up from a different computer or browser at any time.

This isn't the first time the publisher has experimented with cloud gaming. During the launch of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the publisher included a free OnLive version of the game with every retail copy, leading to a scuffle with GameStop. It appears Square Enix is now more interested in pursuing its own platform, instead of partnering with the beleaguered streaming company.

"Square Enix is at the forefront of experimentation of new business and services models in the game industry," said Square CEO Yoichi Wada. "Through our CoreOnline technology service, users can access our content easily through the browser."

Shacknews

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Those Adorable Mini Ninjas Get Kinect-ified for Xbox Live Arcade

2012년 6월 1일

We've not heard much from Hiro and his tiny assassin friends since 2009's Mini Ninjas, which makes sense; you're not supposed to hear ninja. Fans will get a chance to learn that for themselves come June 29, when Square Enix releases Mini Ninjas Adventures, a Kinect-powered fight-fest for Xbox Live arcade.

Hinted at back in March via trademark filings that greatly excited our resident Australian, Mini Ninjas Adventures follows Hiro through 21 levels of gesture-based combat, mini-games and boss fights on a quest to rescue his master and colleagues from the evil Samurai Warlord.

Expect plenty of standing in front of your television, flailing with great purpose.

Developed by Side-Kick Ltd. (appropriately enough), Mini Ninjas Adventures will be available June 29 in North America and Europe for the low, low price of 800 Microsoft points. Perhaps it'll show those damn Fruit Ninja how it's done. I'm sure we'll find out for certain next week, when some poor soul that's not me gets to try it out at E3 2012.

Kotaku

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Daily Deal - Mini Ninjas, 75% off!

2012년 5월 15일

Today's Deal: Save 75% off Mini Ninjas!

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are.

Announcement

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Square Enix trademarks Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure

2012년 3월 15일

Also a mini ninja.

Square Enix has trademarked the name Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure and registered related website domains such as minininjahirosadventure.com.

Siliconera spotted them, but is none the wiser about what they refer to.

Mini Ninjas was the friendly cartoon action game made by Hitman and Kane & Lynch developer IO Interactive.

Right now, IO is making Hitman: Absolution for release this year. And after that, IO apparently wants to make new IP, presumably to launch on a new generation of consoles.

So what is Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure, if anything at all?

It's not the Google Chrome version, which launched this week.

"Square Enix does not comment on rumour and speculation," Eurogamer was told.

Eurogamer

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Whoah, we Might Get More Mini Ninjas

2012년 3월 14일

Square Enix has filed new trademarks in relation to the Mini Ninjas franchise. Which, very quietly, is one of my favourite games of this entire console generation. So this is way more exciting than it should be. [Siliconera]

Kotaku

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Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure trademarked

2012년 3월 13일

Mini Ninjas appears to be getting a sequel in some capacity, titled "Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure." A trademark from Square Enix, along with domain registrations, mention the new title. Exactly what Hiro's Adventure could be, however, is still in the dark.

Siliconera noted the trademark registrations. Eidos was the original publisher of Mini Ninjas back in 2009, but it has since been folded into Square Enix. When Google Chrome had its coming out party for in-browser games, Square Enix mentioned that Mini Ninjas would be available on the service sometime in 2012. It seems that despite mixed reviews, Square still sees value in the brand.

Shacknews

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New Google Chrome tech makes Bastion playable in browser

2011년 12월 9일

Celebrated Xbox Live Arcade and PC game Bastion can be played today inside your Google Chrome browser.

Try it - the technology is eye-opening.

Bastion spearheads new Google Chrome technology called Native Client, which allows console-level games to run in the browser.

Square Enix has adapted console game Mini Ninjas, made by Hitman dev IO Interactive, for Google Chrome. But this doesn't appear to be available yet.

The ubiquitous 3D browser and mobile engine Unity is also supported.

The benefits of Google Chrome Native Client - besides from being able to trial-play Bastion in under a minute - are a secure and portable platform used by 200 million people around the world. Releasing a game through Chrome would presumably make it piracy-proof, although a constant internet connection would be required.

Support for game pads and varying operating systems is on Google's to-do list.

Native Client's use of a computer's 3D processing capabilities will also benefit video, photo and browsing capabilities of Google Chrome.

Eurogamer

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Hitman dev IO making new IP after Absolution

2011년 12월 1일

Danish Hitman developer IO Interactive will work on new IP following the completion of Hitman Absolution.

That's what studio head Niels Sorensen is reported to have told Gamasutra.

There was, however, no mention of what this new IP will be.

Sorensen explained that after Hitman Absolution, released next year, part of IO will go on to collaborate with new studio Square Enix Montreal on a brand new next-gen Hitman game. The rest of IO, Sorensen said, will begin work on the new IP.

"When people work on the same IP for some time, I believe that there's a sort of creative drain," Sorensen told Gamasutra. "Thankfully we managed to make sure we keep focusing on different IPs and keeping people fresh."

"We've built an incubation department whose focus is work on new IP and prototypes, and all sorts of things for existing and new IP. And that's a really interesting sort of secret place where they cook up a lot of new things."

IO has tried new IP for much of this seventh generation of consoles. The last Hitman game released was Blood Money in 2006, which was a last-gen game tarted up for Xbox 360. And what fun it was.

After Blood Money, IO embarked on gritty new co-op shooter Kane & Lynch. The series started confidently in 2007 with Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, but plummeted below average with sequel Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days in 2010.

In between the Kane & Lynch games, IO tried yet another new tack: kid-friendly action game Mini Ninjas, which was forgettable but enjoyable.

So, where will IO go next?

Eurogamer

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Hitman dev IO making new IP after Absolution

2011년 12월 1일

Danish Hitman developer IO Interactive will work on new IP following the completion of Hitman Absolution.

That's what studio head Niels Sorensen is reported to have told Gamasutra.

There was, however, no mention of what this new IP will be.

Sorensen explained that after Hitman Absolution, released next year, part of IO will go on to collaborate with new studio Square Enix Montreal on a brand new next-gen Hitman game. The rest of IO, Sorensen said, will begin work on the new IP.

"When people work on the same IP for some time, I believe that there's a sort of creative drain," Sorensen told Gamasutra. "Thankfully we managed to make sure we keep focusing on different IPs and keeping people fresh."

"We've built an incubation department whose focus is work on new IP and prototypes, and all sorts of things for existing and new IP. And that's a really interesting sort of secret place where they cook up a lot of new things."

IO has tried new IP for much of this seventh generation of consoles. The last Hitman game released was Blood Money in 2006, which was a last-gen game tarted up for Xbox 360. And what fun it was.

After Blood Money, IO embarked on gritty new co-op shooter Kane & Lynch. The series started confidently in 2007 with Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, but plummeted below average with sequel Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days in 2010.

In between the Kane & Lynch games, IO tried yet another new tack: kid-friendly action game Mini Ninjas, which was forgettable but enjoyable.